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What’s there not to love about Easter? Coloring eggs, eating candy, and spring (especially after this winter)… I’m in!
We celebrate Easter every year, but lately I’ve been afraid that we’ve been missing the point of celebrating holidays. My kids are enamored with the idea of receiving gifts and candy but don’t seem to think much beyond that. Given that they’re kids, this is understandable, but it’s my job to teach them that Easter, Christmas, and other holidays are about more than just acquiring more stuff. (My “less is more” mission is also motivating me to declutter, which you can read about here, here, and here.)
This year, I was inspired by this post I found on Pinterest to try something new.
We’re counting down to Easter by opening one plastic egg every day, and praying as a family for the person written on the slip inside. When my husband and I were first married, we prayed with our son almost every night. As more kids entered the mix, this nightly tradition slipped away from us so this egg countdown and family prayer time is our 2014 family Lenten resolution.
The night before Lent began, we sat down as a family, and I asked everyone who or what they wanted to pray for. My son immediately jumped to hoping an asteroid won’t destroy the Earth (anyone else have a son obsessed with Godzilla, Star Wars, and asteroids?). I gently reworded it to “World Peace and Safety.” It’s a little “Miss America,” but it’ll do.
I was surprised by how quickly we were able to reach 40 people and things to pray for. We included both sets of grandparents, extended family, my son’s teachers, and our soldiers just to name a few.
We’ve only done this a couple of times now (we’ve forgotten a few times since it’s a new habit), but I’m really enjoying sitting down as a family and collectively focusing our energy on wishing others well.
I’ve made two version of the slips, one for prayers and one for family activities, which is similar to our Advent countdown. Of course, a hybrid of the two could also be done so some nights could be family prayers and other nights could be a fun family activity or perhaps both. (I may actually add some family activities to some of our eggs now that I think of it.)
Some fun family activities could include seeing the Easter bunny, playing a game, or a family movie night.
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I’d love to know, how does your family celebrate Easter?
{I may be linking up at these great parties.}
I totally love this! Not only is it a cute decoration, but it has meaning and reminds your family what Easter is all about. I am pinning this to try for next year. – Bre
Thanks, Bre! I’m totally kicking myself for not getting this (and the 40 Bags in 40 Days posts) done earlier so others could do it too. One day I’ll finally get the hang of this blogging thing. I hope it works well for you next year! 🙂
Oooh, I LOVE this easter egg countdown. What a great idea!
Thanks, Melanie 🙂
Very cute idea. Love that you used the holes already in the eggs and I like the idea of putting little slips inside to pray together. Pinned
Thanks, Erlene!
I love this – it’s beautiful and such a great way to count down to Easter!
Thanks, Danielle!
Hi Emily! I just love this and what a wonderful idea! Visiting from Tatertots & Jello – thanks so much for sharing and pinning! Have a great evening and a wonderful weekend!
Thanks, Cindy! I hope you have a wonderful weekend as well 🙂
Hi Emily! I just love this idea so much! Visiting from Tatertots & Jello – thanks for sharing and pinned! Hope you have a fabulous weekend!
I love this idea! What a fun way to celebrate. Pinned!
Thanks, Jelli! We’ve been enjoying it. Now if I could only get the kids to stop fighting over who gets to open the egg…
What a beautiful tradition – visually and in concept! Such a creative idea – thanks for sharing! Visiting from the weekend wind down.
Thanks, Carylee 🙂
I absolutely love this idea!
Thanks, Kimberly!
What an absolutely lovely idea! I can’t think of a better way to spend the Lenten season.
Thank you so much for sharing this at this week’s Super Saturday Afternoon Tea!!!
Thanks, Cindy! 🙂
This is an adorable idea!! I love how colorful it is!
Thanks, Katie! I am enjoying the fun pop of color it’s added to our usually bare kitchen wall.
Hi Emily!
I love this idea! My kiddos are going through the same thing. They are constantly asking for more and I’m constantly cleaning things out. This is such a fantastic idea. I can’t wait to do it! Thanks!
New follower!
Thanks, Sami. I’d love to hear how it goes for you.
This is an absolutely beautiful idea, and I appreciate you linking up and sharing with us at the #WWDParty. Stay blessed!
Thank you for hosting, Antionette.
This is a great idea; I always have a hard time figuring out a fun way to teach the meaning of holidays and keep my little man intrigued. I agree about the decluttering; we didn’t do many gifts for X-mas or birthdays this past year for that reason, I mean if you have things you like then why move things out to make room for the new? I would rather keep what I like and forego spending more money on things I may not love quite as much.
I agree. There really isn’t anything we need so I’m trying to slow (if not stop) extra stuff from coming in. That seems to be the first step in decluttering for me.
ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, Kerri! 🙂
I adore this idea, and I love how you made it beautiful as well! Thanks so much for linking it up to my party today, I really want to make one now. Pinning for sure!
Thanks, Kara. 🙂 It’s so easy to make too, which is my favorite kind of project.
This countdown is absolutely adorable! Love this idea!
-Karli
http://www.somethingsplendidblog.com
Thanks, Karli!
I saw this idea featured on the Best of the Weekend and had to come over and read about it. I love, love, LOVE this idea, Emily! I’m pinning it to remember next year. I think I will also look for plastic eggs on end of season clearance this year so I’m ready to go. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Carrie 🙂 Buying at the end of the season is a great idea. I hope you’ll come back next year and let me know how this works for you.
That wall of eggs…. I’m just completely smitten with it! So colorful and simple at the same time. Thanks for sharing at our Link it or Lump it party!
Thanks, Amy. We’ve been enjoying the colors too. They definitely make our kitchen wall more cheerful.
Super cute! I am going to try and link this to my blog, but I haven’t done this so much, so crossing my fingers it works! ( ; Darling blog.
Thanks, Tisha!
This is really great but I’m dying to know where you got your perfectly colored eggs?!
Target, of course 😉 They had lots of different color combos. I also went with an ombre pack, but I thought the mix of colors would be a bit more fun for the kiddos (and myself). I hope that helps, and, better yet, that they’re on sale if you want to grab some!
Love your post. Going to share on all my social media, add to our Organic Easter Treat Section on our webpage: http://www.smarthealthtalk.com/easter-organic-chocolate-gifts.html and also share with this weeks guest on our radio show EcoEggs.com. There are so many great things about their eggs including they are BPA free so can even eat out of them or use in lunch boxes, sturdier so don’t crack and break so less garbage in landfill, can store for next year, have a clicking seal (animals can open regular eggs) so they stay shut and don’t accidentally come open, are bigger than the normal cheap eggs so can put much more in there. Can even use to teach spelling. Woman owned company. Hear our interview with Eco Eggs and Nutiva owner on their great new organic products 4-17-14 here: http://www.smarthealthtalk.com/easter-organic-chocolate-gifts.html
I subscribed to your page but when I go to the free printables I do not find the printables for this Easter project Can you direct me to it please.
Thanks,
Natalie
Hi Natalie, It’s a freebie that newsletters subscribers can get after they confirm their subscriptions. You’ll get a link, password, and access to all my free printables. If you have any problems, please let me know 🙂
Your son is hilarious! My daughters are grown-up now but we sure had our share of funny comments from them. My husband asked the oldest daughter “What kinds of birds don’t fly?” She responded “Dead ones.” I wish I could bottle up their adorableness. Anyway, I think this is a perfect family activity. Thank you so much for sharing at the Inspire Me Monday’s Link-Up. Have a great weekend and thank your son for the chuckles!
haha dead ones. She’s right! Thanks for hosting, Bridget 🙂
Such a cute idea for Easter!
This is too cute! Thank you for sharing it on Show Me Saturday!
Oh my word this is adorable! I am just finding this now in 2015… I will definitely have to pin for next year! I made my own advent activity calendar this year using this same Silhouette frame. My kids LOVED finding out what we would do every day and begged to have it continue after Christmas. This will be a great addition to our next year’s Lent!
I’m so glad you found it, and I hope you’ll let me know how it works our for you next year. 🙂
This is a lovely idea, and I would like to make it for my sons and myself. Yes I know, it’s a bit late, but better later than never! But I have a problem: when I click for the printable it shows an error 404: “We can’t find what you’re looking for.” Could you help me with it? Thank you so much.
Hi Timi, The printables are available to my newsletter subscribers. After people confirm their subscription they receive an e-mail with the link and password to the printables. If you still have problems finding it, please let me know.
What a wonderful idea and so adorable too!
I would love for you to stop by my blog and join our Something to Talk About link party!
Have a great day!
Karen
OK THIS… is by FAR the cutest thing I have seen in a LONG time… I love this…
Thanks, Tove! The bright colors make me smile every time I see them.
love this! where did you find your plastic eggs? love the colors.
Thanks, Kristy Jo! I got those at Target. They had lots of pretty color choices.
I hope they have them this year. I love, love the colors. With Covid they have nothing in the stores.